Today we have a guest post from Natala from The Engine 2 Diet team. I'm often asked questions about potatoes because it's a common misconception that potatoes are an off limit food. I love potatoes and I eat them often!

I remember sitting in a doctor office when I had out of control T2 diabetes a few years ago, and the doctor telling me very sternly that under no circumstance should I eat potatoes. When I went plant-strong getting it out of my head that potatoes (and other healthy starches/carbs) did NOT cause my T2 diabetes was a very difficult hurdle to get over. However, low and behold, potatoes do not cause T2 diabetes and potatoes do a lot of good in helping people with T2! I was thrilled, because I love potatoes. More on how potatoes do not cause T2 diabetes.

I think all forms of potatoes are fantastic. They are the perfect starting base to any meal, and they are great as snacks as well. My husband and I do a lot of batch cooking early on in the week, and we always make a bunch of potatoes for the entire week. I will usually make 10 sweet potatoes and 15 other potatoes (we like red or yellow the most).

From that point, the possibilities are endless.

Fries:You can take your cooked potatoes, slice them up, put them under the broiler for a few minutes and you have perfect delicious fries! We like adding different spices, we'll make curry fries, chili fries, cajun fries. For a tasty dessert we will make sweet potato fries sprinkled with nutmeg and cinnamon, we've even paired this with Lindsay's raw banana ice-cream, it is a really wonderful treat!

Potato Pizza: I loved pizza, I'm Italian after all, that is what I'm supposed to love. I found out about potato pizza and have been hooked ever since, it makes a great, filling meal, and gets rid of those pizza cravings! Just top your baked potato with all of your favorite, plant-strong pizza ingredients. I like tomato sauce, mushrooms, spinach, beans and a little bit of nutritional yeast. I stick it in the oven for 10 minutes on 400 degrees, and usually eat with a nice salad.

Potato Hot Dog:A few months ago I was craving a vegan hotdog with all of the fixings. It was driving me nuts, and I had just about given in and succumbed to the vegan fried hot dog, when I thought: "What is it that I really want?". I really love hot dog toppings, mustard, sauerkraut, onions, and I love a side of baked beans. So I thought, well, I've got potatoes, so why not try a potato hot dog? I went and got some raw sauerkraut from Whole Foods (it had a much lower sodium content than regular sauerkraut), got some spicy mustard, onions and the makings for HH's baked beans! Turns out that my potato hot dog hit the spot!

Sweet Potato Ice-Cream: This is one of my favorite treats! Take some cooked sweet potatoes,peel them and chop them. Then put them in the freezer overnight (in a freezer safe container/ziplock). The next day, take the potatoes out, let them thaw for about 15 minutes until they are slightly soft. Then put them in your blender or food processor and add non-dairy milk as needed to make it creamy. You can add a touch of maple syrup if you want it a little sweeter. I top it with cinnamon and nutmeg. It is a wonderful treat for the summer!

Potato Nacho Bake:This is one of our favorites, we make a big dish of it and eat it all week! Pre-heat oven to 350 1 thin layer diced tomatoes 1 layer sliced cooked potatoes (we slice them in rounds) 1 layer black beans 1 layer frozen spinach optional: 1 more layer of sliced cooked potatoes 1 layer diced tomatoes sprinkle with chili powder bake for 35 minutes Top with HH nacho sauce (heated) optional: add sliced olives or avocado The potato is one of my favorite foods! It is versatile and healthy! How do you like to eat your potato?

-Natala

A few years ago Natala was on almost 15 medications daily, had out of control Type 2 Diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, issues with nerve damage, and was morbidly obese. She decided to take her life back by adopting a plant-based diet, and has since lost over 200 pounds and no longer needs medication. Natala became passionate about nutrition, received her Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition through Cornell University, and now works with Rip Esselstyn and The Engine 2 Dietteam.

Lindsay S. Nixon

Hi I'm Lindsay also known as the Happy Herbivore.I've dedicated myself helping folks lose weight on a vegan diet. I been blogging since 2006, written 6 books, and started a business called Meal Mentor.